Saudi sports minister congratulates Green Falcons on World Cup qualification

Saudi sports minister congratulates Green Falcons on World Cup qualification
Saudi Arabia's midfielder #10 Salem al-Dawsari celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Asia zone qualifiers group C football match between Saudi Arabia and China at the Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh on March 20, 2025. (File/AFP)
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Updated 15 October 2025
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Saudi sports minister congratulates Green Falcons on World Cup qualification

Saudi sports minister congratulates Green Falcons on World Cup qualification
  • Kingdom will make seventh appearance in next year’s tournament hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Sport Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal has congratulated the Green Falcons for qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Kingdom will make their seventh appearance in next year’s tournament, which will be hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico.

Prince Abdulaziz, who also heads the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, lauded the team and staff, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

“The wise leadership has provided every means to keep the Kingdom’s flag flying high at international sporting events, including the world’s greatest football tournament, the FIFA World Cup.”

He said preparations will now focus on ensuring a strong performance next year.

Saudi Arabia secured a place at the 2026 World Cup on Tuesday with a goalless draw against Iraq in Jeddah, in the fourth round of the Asian qualifiers.

The hard-fought point was enough to give the Green Falcons top spot in Group B and guarantee their appearance at the finals.

The Green Falcons played in the 2022 Qatar World Cup, with the team recording a historic group stage win against eventual champions Argentina.


Messi, Martinez combine as Argentina sink Angola in Luanda

Messi, Martinez combine as Argentina sink Angola in Luanda
Updated 13 sec ago
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Messi, Martinez combine as Argentina sink Angola in Luanda

Messi, Martinez combine as Argentina sink Angola in Luanda
  • The same two players combined for the second goal seven minutes from the end
  • Argentina were enticed to play the match by a reported $12-million pay-day

LUANDA: Lionel Messi scored one goal and laid on another for Lautaro Martinez as Argentina defeated Angola 2-0 in a friendly in Luanda on Friday that marked 50 years of the independence for the hosts.
Messi’s pinpoint pass into the box from the right on 43 minutes was drilled into the back of the net by Martinez for his 36th international goal to give the visitors a halftime lead.
The same two players combined for the second goal seven minutes from the end when Martinez turned provider as Messi was played into space in the box and struck the ball low into the far corner. That took his tally of international goals to 115.
Argentina were enticed to play the match by a reported $12-million pay-day, with officials selling tickets to the 48,000-seater Estadio Nacional 11 de Novembro for $1.
The match is Argentina’s only fixture of the international window, while Angola look ahead to the start of next month’s Africa Cup of Nations where they are in a group with Egypt, South Africa and Zimbabwe.